Whether you’re a resort guest or just a visitor, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is a must on many guests’ Walt Disney World vacation itinerary. The Victorian-inspired décor with sweeping outdoor views of Seven Seas Lagoon make it a dream destination during daytime hours or at night for Magic Kingdom’s nighttime spectacular. With many highly-rated restaurants, various shopping opportunities, and special offerings during holiday seasons, it’s easy to understand why many plan a visit to what can be considered Walt Disney World’s Crown Jewel Resort.
On my last visit to Disney’s Grand Floridian, I had the pleasure of dining at Grand Floridian Café for dinner. Located on the ground level, this family-friendly restaurant may be the most casual table service location at this resort, but it doesn’t lack in variety of delicious meal choices, first-rate service, or beautiful décor. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Grand Floridian Café provides an appealing menu and simple elegance, making for a special experience during your Walt Disney World vacation.
The clean white walls deliver an image of high ceilings accented by a gray, gold, and geometric floral carpet, marble tables, and wooden chairs with sage green cushions. The restaurant is one big room with the kitchen hidden to guests’ view. The large windows covered in cream-colored fabric window treatments open to a beautiful view of the water where one can view ferry boats traveling to and from Magic Kingdom as well as the main resort pool. While this location is not far from the hustle and bustle of the main floor of the resort, the beautiful design of this restaurant offers a calm and relaxing atmosphere in which to enjoy a delicious meal.
After ordering our beverages, a cast member served warm rolls and butter to enjoy while we waited for our entrees to arrive. Before too long, the New York Strip Steak and Frites entrée arrived along with the kids cheese flatbread. Taking the suggestion of the cast member, the New York Strip Steak was prepared medium and was served with a side of asparagus along with steak-cut French fries.
The kids cheese flatbread offered a generous-sized meal including the pizza served on a soft crust, a fresh fruit cup, and a side of rice. Paired with a beverage of their choosing, this meal was more than enough to fuel my children for the rest of the day.
The beautiful presentation of the food matched the enchanting environment of Grand Floridian Café and the entire resort. It was a meal that we all greatly enjoyed and a restaurant that we would most definitely choose to visit again. Compared to other table service restaurants on property, a reservation for Grand Floridian Café was not difficult to find, but is recommended to ensure you are seated in a timely manner. Once you are within 10 minutes of your reservation, you may check in on the My Disney Experience App or visit the hostess stand to speak with a cast member.
If you aren’t already staying at a Disney Resort located on the monorail and you wish to dine at Grand Floridian Cafe, those with a dining reservation will be granted free parking at the resort. If you do not have access to a vehicle, consider transferring from bus to monorail at the entrance to Magic Kingdom or taking private transportation directly to the resort entrance via Uber or Lyft.
Have you every dined at Grand Floridian Café for dinner? What did you think about the menu and atmosphere? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured Photo by Rachel Van Norman
Written by
Shelley Wehler
Contributing Writer
Shelley is a stay-at-home mother of two girls living outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Her love of all things Disney has grown even more as she sees the magic come alive through the lens of her young daughters. She spends her free time keeping up with the latest in Disney news and daydreaming of her next trip to the parks!
